The Dooming
by Shinigami's Kaizer
Summary: Duo has been hiding a secret from the world for very long time. Now the other pilots are about to discover it. Please Review GW Invader Zim crossover
1. Default Chapter

SK: AND THUS I HAVE RETURNED!

Naven: After how many years of not writing?

SK: …. Three….

Zim: hmph. And with a brand new story.

SK: Yeppers! It's a cross over but I'll keep you guess what it is till the end! Mwhahaha! Enjoy.

Intro

Duo stalked through the small American suburb, a cloud of depression hovering above his head. Everything had changed absolutely every-, he passed by a pitch black house that seemed to have an eternal thunder and lightning storm over it, alright not everything but fairly close. He walked quickly past an elementary school, refusing to look at it. Nostalgia wasn't just the only reason for his depression though, he'd had a huge fight with his comrades, he wasn't ready to call them friends, all over such a small thing as him leaving for three days.

A scowl crossed his features somehow managing to look alien and completely at home on his heart shaped face. Just the thought of it brought the fresh memories racing across his mind, each flavored strong with anger.

With infinite care Duo finished backing the last item he'd need. It wasn't like he was going to be gone long or anything, but he did like to be prepared, after all who knew what the world would throw at him. A nearly silent sigh of the carpet told him that someone had walked into his room and leaned up against the wall. His hearing was far better then he let on but it didn't tell him who the interloper was, but he had a guess. Not letting on he knew someone was there he zipped up his back.

"Where do you think your going?"

Ah it was Heero, he wasn't surprised really. "Out, I won't be gone long. Three days at the most." Came his unusually short reply

"Is it a mission?" of course all about the missions

"Nope, just something I need to do." He placed shoulder strap onto its proper place on his arm and turned to face the blue eyed pilot.

"Negative, we need you here in case a mission arrives."

"There won't be. G knows that I'm not available for these three days so there won't be a problem. If something big does come long he knows how to contact me. By Hee-chan see you in three days."

His only reaction to the fast moving fist that slammed into the door jam to block his way was a surprised blink. "Your staying here, its to much of a risk for you to leave here by yourself. Oz could find you."

The braided boy sighed and shook his head. "I've done this for more years then you can count Hee-chan, no one has caught me yet. Excuse me." He ducked under Heero's arm and started to make his way towards the door. A quick hand that could easily bend steal snagged his braid causing his head to snap backward. "ACK!"

"Your staying here Duo."

"No I'm not, and if don't let me go right now I'm going to miss my plane, which will make me stay away longer, and you find it very hard to pilot Wing with just one hand unless you let go of the hair right now." Actually he had gotten used to his braid being tugged, its just that at this moment it was forcing his hair to press painfully tight on something else entirely.

His braid was pulled back a little more, and refused to hiss in pain.

"Your staying Duo, it will be to much of risk for you to got alone for a fools errand!"

"Its not a fools errand." Was the hissed reply, "Now let me go before I hurt you."

"Not until you agree to stay. If you turn yourself into a risk you will have to be eliminated"

"Well it's a good thing I'm not a risk then. However you are!" he moved far quicker then one should of, at an angle that should have been impossible. His foot struck Heero's stomach and he perfect soldier, who wasn't expecting it, doubled over the wind knocked from him.

In the end Heero's cussing over the blow attacked the others and he had to argue his way through them all to finally reach the door from there he ran. He just barely me it to his plane. Thankfully he had not needed to strike the others.

But in the end it was worth it, he had a promise to keep and he never broke his promises. Alight there was that one time, but he didn't like to count it, a. it was to painful to remember and b it was based upon lies. Anyway he couldn't of missed his appointment.

Looking up sharply he realized he had arrived at his destination, a small forgotten graveyard from about the twentieth century. Weaving through the forest of stones Duo made his way to a secluding corner with lonely vine covered head stone. Carefully he cleaned up the gravesite. That done he sat down slowly with a sigh of relief.

"Sorry I'm a little late, my comrades didn't want to let me come." He fiddled with his watch for a moment, turning it off then he made himself look at the head stone. "I miss you Dib," he reached out and caressed the engraved name with a bright green hand.

SK: Well, what do you think?

Zim: YOU TURNED ME INTO A BRAIDED HUMAN MONKEY!

SK: Ow. Anyway if you didn't uses by now, this is a Gundam Wing and Invader Zim cross over! I'm not to sure about this story about though I have started work on the first chapter. All feedback would be appreciated. Also I need a beta reader for this!


	2. Hints

SK: Sorry this chapter took so long to write up, because of a lack of reviews I didn't feel like writing anymore. However thanks to the urgings of a very instant plot bunny and a friend of mine I wrote more.

Zim: Ha friggen zah.

SK: Shut up Zim, I could do worse to you!

Shadow: She could.

Zim: Eep!

SK: Anywho, I really need a Beta reader for this story if anyone is up for the position and please Review! The more reviews I get the faster I update!

With a sigh Duo slid through the door to the recent safe house. He'd gotten a message from G before he arrived here and was told that the others where out on a mission, a fact that he was very grateful for.

His bag made a barely audible thump as it hit the ground, released from his tired grip. Again he made the mental note to find and destroy the human who'd invented red eye flights. Making his way up the stairs to his room, his feet dragging slightly. "Must also remember to bring doom to the human who invented stairs." He paused slightly and blinked realizing that he had sounded just like he had when Dib was ten. Shaking his head entered the bedroom.

Turning to a vanity that had come with the house only to once more blink in surprise at his reflection. He had forgotten to turn his holo disguise back on, and now he knew why he'd gotten several odd looks on his way here. It was a bit of shock to him to that it had been so long since he'd seen his true reflection. Taking this solitary moment he reacquainted himself with well himself.

Many years ago he had added human DNA to his own to help him blend in on this strange world that would become his home. His skin was still a bright healthy green. The long brunet hair that fell well past his rear was truly his own and not a wig. Pulling off the black air tie he started to undo his infamous braid. As soon as his long hair was loose his slender antenna slid out of their hiding place beneath the soft hair. Duo sighed in relief, for the moment the highly sensitive appendages where free from the constant pressure of the heavy braid.

The slender velveteen antenna added a good eight inches more to his height. Though he no longer believed that how tall one is had any relation to ones intelligence he was still please that he had grown on his own to five feet something he was now unlike Tak who had to alter herself with large amounts of human growth hormones to grow. She was a good match for Gaz though. The couple had taken over a nice planet and had turned it into a greatly feared gaming mammoth.

Shaking his mind from such thoughts he went back to his self-examination. His faceted crimson eyes where still the same bright orbs though they where now shaped into a more human oval, he still look to thin to be healthy, far to long legs, and clawed fingers of the now altered Irken.

Sitting heavily on the chair before the vanity and reached out to grasp his brush… which wasn't there. "Fuck." He muttered as he remembered his brush was down stairs in his bag. Drumming clawed fingers on the wooden surface as he went through his options in his mind. A) He could brave the stairs again and hope he had enough energy to get back up B) collapse onto the large bed that was giving him the best sad puppy look he'd seen since Gir or C) Borrow Heero's brush and get hewed out for it the next day. Pondering the three choices he decided to borrow Heero's brush, it promised to be the most entertaining.

Running Heero's brush through his long hair, being careful of is antenna, Duo Maxwell Pilot of the Gundam DeathScythe once known as Invader Zim of Irk sighed happily. He had changed a lot over the years, watching the stupid worm humans evolve and reach for the stars…. With only minor help on his part. A few introductions of Irken technology here and there and now the colony where up… and causing this war.

Duo sighed. "Oh Dib if you only knew what your people where doing now, still so infantile and stupid." War was an easy concept for him to understand but it had taken Dib a long while to explain that humans had wars amongst their own kind. That was unheard of amongst Irkens. Fight where common enough but wars amongst their own? Unheard of. "Heh, who knew that someday I'd fight along side humans to try and peace to this rotten dust ball? But someone has to protect these humans from dooming themselves."

The sound of a door slamming downstairs and Duo cussed softly in his native language, wanting to hear it even briefly before his respite as himself was over and he'd have to play human again. Still muttering he turned the holo disguise back on and slammed his antennae against his skull. Reaching behind him he separated is hair into three clumps and started to braid trying to ignore the pressure replace on his antennae.

"Duo!" a couple of voices called up as one. Duo could detect happiness in Quatre's voice, a growl in Wufei's voice, and an irritated growl in Heero's. Trowa didn't call up, he was the strong quiet type, which suited the braded Irken just fine, he had gotten over most of the height equals might thing but that the fact that the unibanged boy was taller then him still made him twitch inside.

"I'm up here!" he called back, "Heh, Heero is going to verbally ream my ass for leaving." This amused him for some reason, but he blamed it on how tired he was.

"Duo come here." That was Heero using his I'm he Perfect Soldier Obey Me voice.

"I'm braiding hair I'll be right down." The sounds of footsteps coming up the stairs, soon Heero and Trowa appeared in the doorway.

"No your coming down now, we now need to talk."

Duo flashed Heero a fake smile, "I'll be done in a sec."

"Duo its important we need to discuss this." Trowa's voice was calm as always and curse this little dust ball he was standing tall. With a roll of his eyes and a dramatic sigh he gave in.

"Fine. I'll-"

"Now." Heero's voice held enough suppressed violence that he'd make any Irken soldier proud. Tiredly Duo stood and followed the other two pilots down the stairs, and again the mental note to doom the human who'd invented them was made.

Bouncing down the last of the stairs he growled slightly as what little braiding he'd started came loose, he flopped down into the overstuffed couch next to Quatre. The blond pilot smiled warmly at Duo as the other pilots arranged themselves in a semi circle around him. "Why do I suddenly feel like I'm going to be integrated?"

Heero's eyes narrowed "Where were you? You endangered the mission for what?"

"Now Heero! I'm sure Duo had excellent reasons for leaving for those three days." Ah so nice of Quatre to stand up for the little guy. The blond was a decent human, though how he remained that way in the middle of a war was a mystery to the Irken.

"Well then Maxwell I'm sure we're all interested to know those reasons."

Duo smiled at the four pilots. "Quatre' right, I had perfectly good reasons," he paused for a moment and a wicked smile crossed his lips "And I have no intention of telling you what they are or where I was."

Heero's hands clenched "Duo…."

"Yeah yeah I know omae o korosu, you really need a new catch phrase. I'm not going to tell you, live with it. G is fully aware that for three days out of every year I'm to be left alone. Nothing you say or do will change that."

"Maxwell-"

"Oh hush WuWu, I don't pry into your past and why you carry that shrine of yours around, honor my privacy."

The dark haired pilot looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding, Trowa nodded as well. Duo knew that Quatre wouldn't pry.

"Listen Heero, nothing I did while away endangers our mission. Live with it." He smiled at the blue-eyed pilot.

BAM! Duo wasn't the only pilot that jumped as the perfect soldier made a lovely hole in the wall with his fist, then stalked out of he small living room.

"Oh my." Quatre murmured and Duo nodded slowly, Sandrock's pilot sighed, "I think its best if he cools down a bit before we go after him. Duo why don't you get some sleep you look tired."

The longhaired pilot smiled at Quatre "Your right I am, red eye flights are cruel." He smiled at the other pilots and made his way up those triple doomed steps. The now tall alien never noticed that Trowa followed him with his gaze, green eyes wide.

Trowa's gaze didn't waver, even as Quatre and Wufei went their separate ways. As Heero had slammed his hand into the wall he had been watching Duo, the shorter pilot had been startled like the others but he hadn't just jumped with shock… but for a moment… had those been antenna sticking up from his? Standing straight up at that moment of shock, only to be quickly hidden in the long lengths of brunette hair?

Shaking his head the Heavyarm pilot stood and decided to find Heero. Maybe Duo did need watching.


	3. Rain and Flashbacks

SK: MWHAHAHHAAHA I have finished yet another chapter!

Shadow, Zim, Bio, Naven: Hazah

SK: It truly is a good day, and I'd like to thank all you lovely people for reviewing this fic. Its really made me want to continue it. And I've decided to respond to you all for reviewing!.

Kyra2 – And what do you think is running through their minds? I'm curious to know if I'm portraying it enough so people can pick up what they are.

Mercurialgreen – As long as people are interested in reading my story I'll definitely continue it!

Jjinks – I'm sorry you don't like Invader Zim, but to each their own and I'm glad you are enjoying my fic. Please let me know where I goofed so I can fix it! The job of a beta reader for this is still available too if anyone is interested!

Shinimoeru – Very few would think of crossing these two, but I'm find it works very well and is fun to write! With people reviewing my story I'm hoping to get more chapters out quicker, and I have no plans of abandoning it so never fear. I think my muses would kill me if I tried

SK: That's everyone, please enjoy this newest chapter!

Chapter 2

Duo hummed softly as he worked on his beloved DeathScythe, he knew that Trowa was watching him from the cockpit of HeavyArms and that Heero was doing the same from Wing Zero. They'd been watching him since his vacation two weeks ago, he assumed it was because of the disappearance that the hidden Irken still refused to speak about. Duo sat back and shook his head, making his braid sway, still humming to himself. He was acting carefree and unaware but really he was twitchy and nervous, and not because of the stares either, he was used to those. No it was because the rain was currently falling outside in buckets.

He was careful and bathed in paste daily, but still the sound of the acid rain made him twitch and quiver inside. Duo looked up and his eyes found the curtain of gray that fell beyond the hidden hangers open doors. It was no good; with a near silent growl he put his tools away. Thankfully he'd been working on a check up on his beloved Gundam only, not really repairs as of yet. Flopping into the pilots seat he closed DeathScythe's hatch, freeing him from the gazes of his comrades. Running his fingers on the underside of the main consol, searching for one particular secret panel. A soft twitter of acceptance told him he'd found it as the panel activated. It was a genetic lock, the same as all Irken's used, able to tell Irken genetics from any other race. It was in this way that the Empire protected itself from primitive life forms wanting to steal their power. Sadly Irken technology hadn't advanced to the point that it could tell one Irken from another.

Sitting back as the panel hummed softly, chuckling to himself as there where two soft spats of power surging. "Hehehe Two Cameras? Nice try Heero but still not enough to beat Irken know how. Of course I'd like to know why you where hiding them in here to begin with…. Of course it might just be that you're as paranoid as I am!" Speaking allowed and to himself was an old habit that he had never be able to fully break. "Of course we're paranoid for different reasons." The braided pilot still had nightmares of being strapped to a dissection table.

The sound of the rain broke into his musings, even with his Gundam in between him and it. Duo reached up and rubbed his antennae through his braided hair. "Sometimes it sucks to have sensitive hearing. Why does it have to rain on this dirtball of a planet?" The rain reminded the disguised Irken of another time, and another storm. Something he'd rather forget.

It was a dark and stormy night, well it wasn't really night just yet but late evening, but oh was it storming! The clouds where as dark as the emptiness inside them, lightning crawled its way across the sky as thunder grumbled its anger at the needless loss of the young life. Three skinny figures where hunched over a fresh grave, two cowering under their umbrellas the third uncaring to the world.

Zim and Tak clung to their umbrellas out of necessity, they had been careful to bath in paste but still rain this hard would wear it away in no time. But the worry of the acid liquid that fell around them seemed far away as they gazed and the pitiful mound of dirt that hid the body of their once friend. The two Irkens where identical in their looks of sorrow, even through they're very different disguises.

Beside them Gaz fell to her knees the muddy grass, the black paint around her eyes running in the rain giving her black tears as she wept silently. Reaching out with a pale shaky hand she ran her fingers along the engraving of the head stone. D-I-B.

Zim reached up and rubbed on his eyes, the contact lenses itching like always, or that's what he told himself was causing the discomfort in them. He couldn't believe this, he's enemy, dearest friend, and nearly the center of his entire world was gone do to utter stupidity and blindness of one person. "I-I should of made him leave, I shouldn't of left him there!" had those shaky words been his? The great Zim's? Yes they had, and if he thought about it he didn't care at all.

"You should of." The emotionless' accented voice was Tak's "But we all know that he would of gone right back. He was stubborn like that."

"Shut up Tak, it isn't Zim's fault. It's not mine either, nor yours standing back and letting it happen." The two Irken's looked to Gaz's crumpled form. "Its not our fault Dib died, it's HIS." It's amazing how much hate can be expressed in a normally common word, but it held enough to make worlds quiver in fear. It certainly caused the two harden alien Invaders to shudder.

Silence fell on them again, the sorrow here was to much to be expressed, but it was there. Standing over them like a living thing ready to pounce and rip them apart from the inside out, leaving empty husks of living things. Zim decided to speak up again, to try and hold it back just a bit longer.

"He will like it here, he'll be able to watch the stars as they pass." He said quietly the repeated "He'll like that."

Gaz and Tak nodded, and the female Irken reached down and helped her human mate back to her feet. "The Dib Worm would not appreciate you getting ill on his behalf Gaz." Her terrible strength for once leaving her the purple haired teen leaned against the violet-eyed Irken needing her help to stand.

Zim watched them, feeling the empty loneliness even more then ever watching the two together. Hidden ruby eyes turned back to the sad looking grave.

"Daughter what are you doing out here? I'm very busy and I can't be expected to…" That voice, It was HIM. The two Irken's snarled in hate but never got a chance to react to that certain male voice, Gaz beat them to it however.

SMASH! Her strength returning in the heat of her utter hate she had thrown the only thing she held dear at the owner of that voice.

Professor Membrane stumbled as the Game Slave III smashed into his head, shattering into a hundred different useless pieces.

"HOW DARE YOU COME HERE!" Gaz's voice could of made the entire Irken Armada turn tail and run in that moment. But the Armada wasn't there, but two Irken's where and they where far to angry to care about Gaz's voice, that anger wasn't aimed at them anyway. Gaz took three steps away from the pair and the wind suddenly picked up howling the goth teens rage.

She wore one of Dib's old trench coats hopelessly to large for her, but the raging wind caught it making it flare like a pair of foreboding midnight black wings, her gamer pale face streaked with black tears, her normally closed eyes wide open expressing her displeasure. For the first time in his life Professor Membrane paid attention to one of his children, his last child, and as he gazed up on the physical embodiment of the Goth Angel of Hatred, her guardians standing behind her echoing her hate with growls and hisses, he felt utter terror. Perhaps his bore insane son had been right.

Gaz held all the power in that moment and she knew it. With just a wave of her hand and the two Irkens would spring and rip him apart for her. And for just a moment she considered it, but no, that would be to easy a death for him, for what he'd done. "Leave here, I don't ever want to see you again. Your more of a monster then any other creature in this galaxy. Even the moose."

Prof. Membrane never thought twice but scrambled away, in his terror his movements where clumsy and shaken. He'd return to his normal safe later, when he reached the safety of his lab surrounded by the science that had taken his life. Deep inside though a part of him would weep over the loss of his only two children.

Gaz spun on her heel to face Dib's grave once more, the look on her face stopping the two Irken's from asking why she'd let him go. For a moment the trio stood silent before the gamer teen turned and started to walk away. "I want to leave this place." She told Tak, the purple-eyed Invader new better then to question her human.

"Of course Gaz, where do you want to go?"

Zim stayed a moment more, falling to his knees before the grave he ignored the water logged soil that stung his skin. Using one hand to hold the umbrella the other dug into the fresh turned earth creating a small hole about a hand deep. Resting a small Irken insignia in it he covered it up again.

"Nahal nareth, junar beh Dib, wallen zutra vinnar." He murmured in his native tongue before the ruby-eyed Irken stood and walked his way home, the wailing wind and the weeping rain his companions.

Duo sighed sadly at the memory, his fingers absently playing with the tip of his beloved braid. Pawing at it, tugging it, and combing it as the memory weaved its magic across his minds eye, while he stared into the unknown. His com link suddenly sparked to life startling him enough to jump.

"Maxwell!" It was Wufei "Quatre says its time to eat and I'm not about to drag you there to eat it." Duo made an unseen face about having to eat yet more earth food, snack food was all well and good even if the other pilots said it was bad for him, it was still better then what they called 'meals' (Though he would be the first to admit that their cooking was far better then that of the cafeteria food at Skool. His odd taste in food is also one of the reasons the others had banned him from cooking himself) "Now get your braided ass down here! By the way its your turn to do dishes."

The DeathScythe pilot sighed but responded in his normal cheery voice. "I'll be right there Wu Wu, you know I'd never miss Quatre's cooking for all the exploding mobile dolls in the universe."

"MAXWELL DO NOT CALL ME WU WU."

"What every you say Wuffy." Before the Chinese pilot could respond he cut the com and opened the hatch. Snagging the hatch cord he lowered himself to the ground. Once more humming tunelessly he snagged an umbrella he'd be careful to bring with him earlier and ventured out into the rain. He called to the other two pilots that he knew where still they're over his shoulder "C'mon guys! Quatre made dinner!"

Heero and Trowa both ventured out of their Gundams, making sure that the mysterious braided pilot was gone. The Perfect Soldier hopped from Gundam to Gundam until he could peer into the DeathScythe's cockpit.

"Did he fry another pair of cameras?" asked Trowa in his careful quiet voice

"Hn." The Prussian eyed pilot pulled out the fried remains of two tiny cameras and showed them to the unibanged pilot. "I don't understand this, they can't be overloading they're designed not to and they are protected from power surges, yet he manages to fry them every time."

Trowa sighed, "We don't even know if Duo knows they are there. Was everything the same as last time?"

"Yes, a faint sound and then nothing. Though I caught something new, he was feeling around the underside of the consol." The two usually silent pilots looked at each other "Hn."

Being very careful to not disturb anything they went over every inch of the underside DeathScythe's panels. Thankfully for Duo though both boys where very human and did not trigger his secret however they did find something.

"What's this?" Heero looked over at Trowa expectantly

The green-eyed pilot sat back holding in his hand a small picture that had been taped in a once secure and hidden spot. Half of the picture had been ripped away and in the half they held was a young boy, about eighteen with a slightly large head, with black hair in the shape of a scythe, and large glasses. He was wearing a trench coat with a blue shirt imprinted with a smile face on it underneath, he was grinning happily and giving the peace sign with his only visible hand. His left hand trailed off into the missing side of the picture that gave only vague hints at something or someone had been there.

Looking at each other curiously they came to a silent agreement. It was time to get Duo to explain. Taking the picture with them they descended from the dark Gundam and made their way to the safe house for dinner and an interrogation.

Zim: Nahal nareth, junar beh Dib, wallen zutra vinnar Means, for you pitiful fools who can't speak the great language of Irk, Rest with honor Dib, you will live forever in my memory.

SK: Thank you Zim for that lovely, if condescending, translation. Another chapter done and quickly too. And its because allllll you lovely readers reviewed. The more people who do the faster I write and the more chapters you get.

Shadow: You just like begging for reviews.

SK: So? I'm a shameless beggar, I'm not ashamed of this.

Zim: Pitiful human author creature

SK: …. Don't make me put you in fairy wings next Zim.

Zim: Eeep!

SK: Anywho! Please Review and feel free to voice any ideas for where this story could go. And for those of you are fans of GIR, please don't flame me don't worry GIR will get repaired and will be seen again.


	4. Yelling and Sad Memories

SK: See? Its another chapter, don't hurt me, please. hides behind her muses I hope to update this story every Saturday morning.

Shadow: However SK would like it to be known that the more you readers review the more she feels like writing on this.

Naven: Who wants to write a story that no one likes after all.

Shadow: Where is Zim by the way, isn't he supposed to help us with this?

SK: Heh, he's hiding in shame I belive. Oh by the way, I've forgotten to mention this in the other chapters. I DUN OWN GUNDAM WING OR INVADER ZIM. How ever this idea is completely original and I am hoping that this inspires more cross overs. And now for reader comments.

Media Miner Reviews –

Bombayoni – hehehe Zim loved your comment by the way and I'm glad that Invader Zim fans have read this and found it plausible. I'm trying really hard to keep the two very different shows merged without ruining the feel of each. I love you to! And have no fear I hope to continue! (PS I hope your friend likes this story too, maybe it'll inspire her to watch GW)

SkyIce – Thank you for the ten out of ten rating! I've been mulling around this idea in my mind for awhile (I like picking on Duo and making him into odd things) and finally decided to type it up. I'm surprised and thrilled its getting such a great greeting in fanfic world. I plan to keep updating and I hope you keep reading and enjoying it. Reviews –

Shinimoeru – Yep I'm brining back GIR. Heh it wouldn't be an Invader Zim fic without him. I'm glad you've stuck with me so far and I hope you enjoy this newest chapter. Please let me know if I go to far out of character!

Jjinks – I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. Yeah I know that school can screw up the important things like reading fanfiction. Anywho in your last review you said you weren't much of a fan of Invader Zim and the Irkeness is going to come out more in the chapters to come

Mercurialgreen – I suggest you look into it! It's a great cartoon and don't worry I will!

Kyra2 – It isn't a good idea as you will see, or read actually. And you guessed the thoughts running through their minds! I'm so glad I was afraid that I wasn't expressing it well enough without stating it point blank. Where's the fun in a story if you lay everything out on a platter.

Sonia – Thank you for Reviewing so many times! You have some interesting ideas perhaps you should make your fic! I've pretty much got mine planned out to a point (I have no idea how to end it just yet but that's still far away) but your suggestions are met with love and Zim likes them a lot. Ooooo Kitties! Cheerleaders? Olsen Twins? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Yelling and Sad Memories

(one month after Dib's funeral)

Zim sat before his main computer, the screen was dark not that he noticed or cared. His fire had gone out, he hadn't budged from his seat for the last two weeks. Absently he noted the sound of the transport pad behind him activating. Someone was on their way down to visit him in his rotting tomb. It didn't matter though; it would never be the one person who he wanted to see.

"Zim this has to stop!" The slight twitch of an antenna was the only reaction that let Tak know that Zim was still alive. "If you don't eat something soon you die, do you want that?" Silence as Tak slapped herself on the forehead for such a stupid question, the normally over active Irken wouldn't be down here in such a state else wise.

CRASH! She winced as a piece of the ruby eyed Irken's base collapsed on itself.

"Why should I move Tak? Dib's gone, GIR doesn't work anymore," Tak glanced at the tiny limp robotic form in Zim's lap "And my base is deteriorating around me."

"Then repair it!"

"I CAN'T!" his head spun to face her, some of his legendary temper surfacing "The Tallest didn't exactly give me the best equipment to work with and I don't have the funds to replace it. It's more then one Irken's work down here to repair any of this," he looked down at GIR "I can't even repair GIR… The Tallest where right… I'm useless."

"Your not useless Zim!" She twitched as Zim shot her a look "Yes I know that's odd coming from me, but I still need to get my revenge on you for what you did to me and I'm not exactly about to let you waste away before I have it!"

"Take your doomy revenge now then," he said quietly "I've got nothing left."

She shook her head "It wouldn't be right to attack you now. It wouldn't be right." She paused for a moment the said in a quieter tone "Gaz doesn't want to stay on this planet anymore, she says she can't stand this place anymore and I can't blame her for it." Zim nodded his agreement "She wants to take over a small planetoid somewhere and produce games. Come with us, and become strong again."

Zim looked at Tak for a moment but shook his head. "No, I can't. I belong here."

Tak snarled her temper exploding for a moment "AND DO WHAT? WAIT HERE TILL YOU DIE! THAT IS NOT A WAY FOR AN INV-" she faltered for a moment when Zim winced "An IRKEN to go out. What will you do here on this sewer of a planet."

Zim tilted his head in thought, after a moment his crimson eyes sparkled and he sat up a little straighter. "Maybe I'll help this little sewer of a planet grow up a little. Dib would of liked that I think. Maybe I can help them reach for the stars. With me, the Mighty ZIM, as they director they could become so much more then they are now!"

Tak snorted, but a little pleased that Zim was starting to return to himself a little. "Your taking on an impossible task Zim, they still have wars amongst themselves for Irk sake!" For the Irken race having wars amongst a planets own people was the highest sign of stupidity and how said planet deserved being taken over. A war between the creatures of Irk hadn't happened for hundreds of millennia.

"Maybe then that is the first thing I should take care off, stopping this foolish fighting amongst themselves." Zim said a lazy smile on his green lipless face.

Duo was about ready to snap, he could live with the being watched while working, he was used to it and it often caused him to work better as it reminded him of the times at Invader Skool, but by Irk he drew the line at being watched while eating! Trowa and Heero had yet to take their eyes off of him since they had entered the tiny dining room that this safe house sported and taken their seats at oval table. A fine tremor of twitch had started to form over his left eye as he refused to look at them, however he could still feel the weight of their joint gazes upon his flesh. It was not a feeling he relished.

Barely stopping himself from snarling at them like a true Irken would he chose to look up slowly about to give them a large piece of his mind…. But Wufei, believe it or not beat him to it.

"Its rude to stare Yuy, Barton."

Sweet Quatre backed him up "What has gotten into the two of you recently? You've been glaring and spying on Duo as if he where a part of OZ! He's our ally not an enemy!" Duo blinked and looked at the pilots of Sandrock and Shenlong in shock, the fork full of food forgotten in his mouth. The blond pilot focused his somehow innocent crystal blue gaze of Trowa. "Trowa what's been with you recently?"

The unibanged pilot shifted uncomfortably under that loving gaze, but remained silent. Heero, on the other hand, was completely unaffected of the queries of his fellow pilots. His focused centered unwaveringly of the braided boy before him.

"Hn" was his voiced reaction which nearly made Duo choke on his fork with a snort of laughter before he continued "Ask Duo."

The disguised Irken removed the fork with one hand and placed the other on his chest over where the human heart would be, blinking with wide-eyed innocence. "Me? What did I do? Wait." His eyes narrowed into a mild glare "Don't tell me your still going on about those three days?"

He took Heero's silence as a yes. "Okay I can understand you keeping on with that and not letting it rest EVER, but you Trowa? Geez, I didn't you'd care so much about such a little thing! That was my business let it drop already!"

Wufei nodded his head in agreement. The dark eyed pilot had a firm respect for the privacy of others and while Duo was loud, annoying, energetic, and prone to pulling pranks, he never pried. Once he was told or gathered that a subject was not to be talked about he dropped it and never once would bring it up again, and never once ask why. The justice-loving boy felt that Duo deserved the same respect.

"Let it drop Yuy, Duo doesn't want to tell us we should respect his wish for secrecy." Wufei ignored the smile that the 02 pilot beamed at him.

Heero's eyes narrowed in the ever famous and ever feared Death Glare and as usual Duo met that dreaded gaze without so much as a twitch. After being on the bad side of Gaz's Doom Powers such a tiny thing as a death glare so insignificant. Like comparing driving a car to piloting a Voot Skooter effortlessly through space.

"You endangered the mission and you won't even tell us why so we can fix any of your mistakes." The Perfect Soldier's voice never once rose out of his normal monotone, but somehow one could tell he was irritated.

TWANG! The fork that had been previously resting forgotten in Duo's hand suddenly appeared buried deeply into the old wood of the kitchen table, right between the pointer and middle finger of Heero's hand. It vibrated as if in shock at its suddenly flight, slowly the four pilots looked up at Duo.

The sound of the many threats, lectures, and insults he'd received over his life about his height and inadequacy from Irkens and humans both rang in his ears. Heero had unknowingly stepped on very thin ice.

"I did NOT make a mistake Heero I'm a Perfect Fool Yuy! I know how to hide my trail as well if not better then as any of you!" His voice was quiet but filled with repressed anger, his body was shaking as his body tensed as if it was about to spring "I made sure to cover my trail and I know I wasn't followed either way. You just can't stand the fact that I won't bow down to your will and control, that I may be just as good as you Mr Perfect Soldier!"

Trowa could tell that this argument was about to degenerate into a fight where blood of one or, more likely, both of his friends. He decided to try and head it off before it reached that point. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the half photograph that they'd found in DeathScythe only a few moments before. He knew that Duo would not be pleased that they'd gone through his Gundam, but hopefully it would defuse his wanting to hurt Heero a little.

"Duo who is this." Those angry violet eyes switched to him and then to the picture. He succeeded, Duo was no longer angry at Heero, but him. The brown haired pilot absently noted that the sound a chair makes when it falls back and lands against a tile floor sounds very similar to an axe falling as the 02 pilot stood suddenly, filled with righteous rage.

"YOU WENT INTO DEATHSCYTHE?" Trowa winced, the human voice wasn't meant to screech that hi, but the braided pilot managed it. And now Quatre and Wufei we're glaring at him, it was unsaid amongst then that the cockpits of their Gundam's were off limits unless invited. One look at the blond pilot told Trowa that he'd be sleeping alone for a while.

"HOW DARE YOU PITIFUL CREATURE SOIL MY WONDEROUS MACHINE WITH YOUR FILTHY MEATY HANDS AND GET YOUR GERMY GERMS ALL OVER MY PICTURE…" All four pilots winced at the volume Duo reached; the furious Irken snatched the picture back smoothing it self consciously as if checking it for damage. Using this pause to his advantage Quatre scooped the fallen chair up and pulled Duo down back into it.

"What Trowa and Heero did was undoubtedly wrong, Duo, but yelling at them and making us all deaf in the process will not make it better. Please calm down." Quatre gave Duo a small smile as a pair of violet eyes blinked at him as if he had just realized what he was doing.

The Irken once called Zim shook his head slowly, putting one hand against his forehead. How long had it been since he had lost himself like that? He had not had one of his "fits" in a decade or so, thankfully Quatre had stopped him before he could blow his cover which he might have if he'd been allowed to continue. As it was, he was shocked that he hadn't said doom once!

The other three pilots held their breaths, though Heero would never admit it, as they waited to see what the unstable pilot would do. All four breathed a sigh of relief as all the anger seemed to flow out of Duo as the braided pilot crossed his arms and switched to a pout. "I am NOT apologizing."

Wufei nodded, refusing to rub his ringing ears as it would be a sign of weakness. "No reason you should Maxwell. The blame lies fully on Yuy and Barton, they never should of gone through your Gundam." His black eyes glared at the two, as if daring them to try the same thing with his beloved Nataku.

Quatre saw Duo's gaze turn sharp and angry again and his heart of hearts gave him a heads up about what would happen if he weren't distracted, and soon. It amazed him for a moment about what a good actor he was, how he was staying calm and gentle as always when he was quaking inside. He had felt something emanating from Duo, that he had never felt before, that he was almost sure no one had felt. Anger deep, raw, and blinding, tinged with pain and loss. All of it was swirled together in a great canvas of feeling, forming a downward spiral that encompassed YEARS, not merely decades either but hundreds of years.

"Duo you can get back at them later, maybe paint the inside of their Gundams pink or something." Quatre smiled sweetly as the anger left those expressive violet eyes and a mischievous glint took its place. Both Trowa and Heero, who'd been staying wisely silent till now, the straightened in their chairs their mouths open to protest that comment. However one quick glare for the normally sweet pilot left them speechless as the memories of the Zero filled their minds. "C'mon Duo, the rain has stopped, lets go for a nice walk, hmm? The three of us?" he shot a quick glance at Wufei who nodded his consent to the idea. Right now the best course of action would be to get Duo as far away from the other to pilots as possible.

"Sounds good to me Winner, a nice walk will be relaxing. I'm sure the two of you can clean up this mess?"

Duo sighed knowing that it would most likely be best if he got away from Heero and Trowa for awhile, and also aware of the fact that Quatre wouldn't take no for an answer. As the three left the safe house to the dull sounds of clinking plates and muttering voices, he gazed at the rain dampened ground, grass, trees and threatening rain clouds, one thought that ran through his mind was: Thank Irk for paste!

They walked in silence for a while, just content to listen as the world awoke around them after the heavy rainstorm. Duo relaxed slowly as he watched the wonder around him, earth maybe a dirty planet of filth at the edge of the galaxy but it had its moments. One would never find a moment like this on such an advanced planet as Irk. Which was sad in a way.

The tiny three-room safe house was surrounded but acres upon acres of ancient trees of various species and shades of green. Birds of many breeds where singing their love of flight, life, and being; while squirrels raced through a labyrinth made of branches, twigs and leaves without getting lost and at times pausing to scold interlopers in their hi pitched voices. Duo tried to ignore the squirrels mostly, as the tended to remind him of the stalker human Keef. As the safe house retreated and became lost behind a veil of green so did the sun begin to set.

"Whoever the person on the picture is, he must mean a lot to you." Quatre said softly keeping his tone friendly.

Duo blinked at him for a moment before looking down at the picture he was clutching tenderly in his left hand. He knew that his two fellow pilots where curious, but far to polite to pester him about it. This politeness was what made him decide to open up, even if only a little, to them. He vaguely remembered a psychologist human mentioning that talking about problems helped.

"His name was Dib," Duo said softly "He is the greatest friend I have." He stopped walking and moved the hand holding the picture so the other two could see it, the large headed teenage boy was still smiling internally, his arm around an unseen figure.

"Was?" The dark eyed pilot of Shenlong asked "Did he change his name or did he use a false one?"

Duo sighed "If only it was, he died." He said the last in a quiet voice, privately he was proud of himself for not letting his voice quiver. Even three hundred years later it still hurt to admit that Dib was gone. The human who said 'Time heals all wounds' was added to the mental To Be Doomed list.

Quatre blinked cutely in confusion "But you said is-"

The disguised Irken interrupted "Just because he died does not mean he stopped being my friend does it?"

The Sandrock pilot fell quiet for a moment before smiling "No, I guess not"

Wufei nodded at that "True friends never truly leave if they are not forgotten." He paused as Duo shot him a large smile

"My thoughts exactly!" he said in his cheery voice "And hew as who I was with these three days, promise not to tell those two bastards?" the two other pilots nodded their agreements "I visit him every year on the anniversary, one day to get there, one day at his g-grave," his tongue tripped slightly but he pushed on "And one day to return. I don't know why those two are fussing about it! Well okay I can understand Mr. Stick-Up-His-Ass Yuy, but Trowa?"

Quatre patted Duo's arm comfortingly "I'll try to pry it out of him later for you. This really isn't like him at all!"

Wufei nodded "Let's just hope that Yuy's mannerisms are not contagious." He glared suddenly as the other two Gundam pilots stared at him in shock. "What?"

The braided Irken pointed at him and said in a mock shocked voice "You cracked a joke!" Quatre nodded in shock behind him. A minuet of full silence passed before the three pilots broke into a happy chuckling, then continued down the path.

A little while later filled with comfortable silence found the three boys sitting on a hill watching the first stars of evening appear from behind the scattering storm clouds.

"Dib used to love watching the stars." The braided pilot murmured suddenly

The other two boys looked at Duo strangely at the comment and the sensitive blond knew that Duo wanted to talk, open up, and perhaps bleed some pain off of this obviously old and festering wound. After a few moments of silence Quatre prodded Duo gently.

"How did this Dib die Duo?" Wufei shot him a sharp glare for intruding on their friends past but he ignored him. His space heart was practically screaming that this had to go on.

Duo sighed softly but answered truthfully. "He died a senseless and stupid death. It shouldn't of happened, all because of one mans blindness and pig headedness!" the last came out as a snarl

"All sudden deaths of dear ones are seen as senseless at the time." Quatre said soothingly

The snarling tone never waved "I suspect that is true, but what happened to Dib is beyond that word. It wasn't his fault at all either, he was being true to himself, it was the doomed fool of a human ball of filth he called Father."

Wufei sat up startled at the last part and looked at Duo full on. "His father?" he said startled

The braided Irken pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them defensively as he explained as much as he could. "Dib's Mother died when he was very little, I don't know how. His Father was a Scientist who was so devoted to his work he forgot about small things like eating, sleeping, and the fact that he had two kids. Dib and his little sister who thankfully escaped that bastard." He growled something for a moment before continuing. "Dib was into paranormal, ghosts, big foot, hehehe aliens. That kind of thing, he wanted to be a paranormal investigator too. He wanted so much to explore the shady side of the myths of this world, which isn't a bad thing is it?"

Quatre frowned "Why would it be? I think it's a bit silly about believing in big foot, but I've always wanted to believe in ghosts."

Wufei sneered, "Believing in such things is foolish, it's even more foolish to pursue them. It's a childish pursuit, but not wrong." The dark eyed pilot relented

Duo chuckled again "What WuWu, don't you believe in aliens and ghosts?"

Wufei frowned "Call me by my proper name Maxwell. And I believe in spirits, yes." The other two nodded, they new he prayed to the spirits of his family "But aliens, hmph, I highly doubt it."

For some reason this seemed to amuse Duo greatly but he didn't comment and went back to his explanation "Well his Father found A LOT wrong with it. Kept calling him his "poor insane son" and kept asking him when he'd give up his insane pursuits and get into REAL science. Would you believe he sent Dib to a insane asylum five times between the ages of ten and 18? All because he wanted to believe in there being more in this world and in others." He glared murderously into the distance "The people he tried hard so for didn't appreciate him."

Wufei and Quatre gaped at him, but it was Wufei's voice that broke the silence "An insane asylum! Since he was ten?"

Duo nodded "He managed to escape the first time, and three other times. He was wily like that."

The blond pilot shook his head sadly "By his own Father? For believing in the paranormal? That's horrid!"

"I agree Quat, but I had no say in the matter."

"What about that sister you mentioned?" Wufei asked

"Gaz is younger then Dib and at the time was mostly lost in her own little world. Also it was almost normal, in a sad way, he'd be drag off to a padded cell and a few hours to a night later he'd of snuck out and fighting her for the last slice of pizza. Dib and their Father where just objects in it. I believe its called teen angst. Anyway, the last time that man sent Dib away for not going into Real Science in his footsteps, Dib refused to escape. Even after I went to break him out."

"Why wouldn't he want out?" Quatre asked softly

"Because he was wanted more then anything for his father to approve of him and his views so badly. He was hopping that if he stayed in the asylum and was proved sane his father would finally listen to him. I imagine he had the whole thing planned out in his mind complete with rose tinted frames. Though I can't blame him, I suppose all children want the approve of those who birthed them." Quatre and Wufei nodded slowly "So he refused to go, but what he didn't know was that his father had instructed the Doctors to not let Dib out until all thoughts of the paranormal where out of his mind. His Father held that kind of clout, he was considered a town hero for all those creations of his. Even had his own TV show." He growled softly in disgust "Couldn't even recognize his own son when he went to visit him there."

Silence fell once more and surprisingly Wufei asked, "How did this Dib die, Duo?"

"Drugs wouldn't work on Dib, he was immune to most of them, so they resorted to more primitive methods……. Like electric shock." Two pairs of eyes widened, such a barbaric thing had been illegal for at least three hundred and fifty years. "That among other, more horrid, treatments is what killed him. He died over the course of five days before his heart finally gave out. And that BASTARD never cared, or even noticed that Dib was dead!" Duo's fingers dug in his arms so sharply he almost drew blood.

Quatre reached out and lightly rested a hand on Duo's arm "I'm sorry Duo, I don't know your Dib, but I do know that no one desired such a fate."

Wufei nodded sharply and would of most likely said something comforting to the braided pilot but suddenly Heero was raising up their little hill.

"We have a mission, all of us are required. Briefing starts now." He showed no reaction to having run a good hour's distance without pause and his voice never rose from its monotone but it had an instant effect. All three pilots where on their feet and racing for the safe house.

(Somewhere in the most stupid part of the world)

The flames roared hungrily, drowning out the sounds of the fire engines as they wound their way through a gravel twisted road, all prepared to fight the raging fire. It would not be an easy fight either. The fire had been roaring through the mental hospital for hours now and had a firm hold. The building was beyond saving already and the fire was sending out sparks aplenty, wishing nothing more but then to spread itself and devour more.

Outside the building a small crowed of patents and a few lucky nurses stood staring at the blaze in shock and drugged stupors. Beneath the wail of sirens and the hungry roar of the flames came the dieing tortured shrieks of the Doctors and the unlucky nurses who's cruelty finally caught up to them as the fire ate them alive.

A distance away a tall willowy figure was walking unhurriedly away from the scene, a much smaller figure raced around his legs in a hyper fashion. The figure paused suddenly and he looked over his shoulder for a moment, the firelight reflected off of large circular wire framed glasses, making them glow red like a predators. He turned away and looked down at the tiny form.

"Find Zim." A shot heard around the world, two simple words but they changed everything

Red eyes glowed obediently as the smaller figure saluted, then those eyes changed to baby blue and a hi pitched voice shrieked "FINALEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Zim - grumbling And yet another chapter, the Filthy Doomy Earth Writer asks that you review this horrid excuse for a chapter because she is fairly happy with it for some reason……… though there was fire and yelling.

SK: I thought you'd like those parts.


	5. 4a I'm still alive!

SK: First off I'd like to apologize to all of my readers for this taking so long. My place of work (cough-ACE Hardware- cough) Decided that mandatory overtime is a good thing. I've been made to work 6 days a week or 5 days at 10 hours. After all that I've been too exhausted to type. This is just so everyone knows I haven't abandoned this story. I've nearly finished Chapter 4 but its all hand written. The overtime ends after Halloween so I'll try and get back on track. Please be patient with me and review please! I need to know that people still want me to work on this.

"I think I saw them go this way!"

"Search everywhere, leave no stone unturned!"

"Check the storage bays!"

The metal crate dug into the braided boy's back, and he winced slightly as his panted breaths seemed to echo forebodingly. Trying to control his seemingly overload breathing he listened to the angry shouts of Oz soldiers around them. Looking to the right he could see Wufei crouching behind another cold metal box. The dark eyed pilot was clutching a gun shot wound on his shoulder all to human blood was turning the white shirt red. A cautious exchange of nods and pointed looks had let him know it wasn't serious. Duo thumped his head against his pathetic cover silently; the mission was going all to hell.

J had assured them that it would be an easy sneak into the Oz research lab and see what they are up t mission. Nothing to hard or heavily guarded, no worries. Pfffftt! It had turned into run & hide for your lies mission. And yes J had been added o his mental Doom List… of Doomy Doomness.

As far as the two pilots knew Trowa was a definitely captured, Quatre was wounded a minor leg wound, and was hiding like them. Heero's status was unknown. Capture for all of them was nearly a certainty.

He thumped his head again. No research base was this heavily guarded, unless they where working on something really really special. But J hadn't hinted at anything, nor had Heero's hacking. So they had pretty much walked into a large mess they where woefully unprepared for. The Irken made a mental promise to himself to switch J's brain with that of a Guppy and then introduce him to his Police Man Squid.

He looked over at Wufei again, the Chinese pilot was looking a it pale but his eyes where sill sharp and alert, violet met black and Wufei nodded slightly, signaling that he was still fine. Do nodded back and n electric snap nearly beyond the range of human hearing brought his attention back to another problem.

It had come from his holo disguise, the tiny device shape like a watch on his wrist. A stray bullet had damaged it and, of course, all of his spares where well hidden in his Gundam… which was with the others at the safe house. He really should remember to keep an extra with him.

Violet tinted eyes examined the little device, as far as he could tell the bullet had separated the connection to the power source and it was running off of back up power, which would only hold him for an hour or more. It didn't look like to much of a hard thing to fix, or at least jimmy a good enough of a fix. After all he was ZIM!

Duo blinked, my my it had been awhile he' thought of himself in third person. Another whine from he device. There was only problem with fixing it, his eyes slid subtly to Wufei again, he'd have to deactivate it in order to fix it.

It wasn't much of a choice really, risk being found out by Wufei now or be found out by Oz later. Shifting so his back was to Wufei and using a helpful shadow to the fullest o deactivated the holo device. With quick efficient movements Zim got to work.

Wufei blinked suddenly, his attention diverted from tending his wound and keep watch for Oz. Had he just seen crimson eyes? No, it couldn't of been. The only thing here with him in this accursed hallway was Duo and his eyes where a startling shade of violet not huge crimson orbs. And they certainly didn't glow like that! It must have been a reflection of light or perhaps the blood loss was getting to him. After all nothing on earth had eyes like that.

Lady Luck was a very fickle human woman Duo determined in between mentally shouted cuss words from various languages from various planets. Not even a full minuet after successfully repairing the holo unit Oz decided to flood their little hidey place with soldiers. There was no point to even try and fight back.

Delicate wrists shifted testing the heavy metal cuffs that bound them behind his back. He knew he could get out of them with little difficulty and the other too; it was just a matter of when. He could hear two guards standing at attention outside the cell door. The bindings on his hands might look huge and foreboding but they might as well be made of paper when compared to some of he things Dib had invented to hold him. He just needed a lax moment from the two humans outside and they could blow this joint. And if Luck decided to smile a bit in their direction perhaps that could become literal.

Of course before they could do anything fun they would have to find Heero. Quatre and Trowa had been keeping the cell warm for them when he and Wufei arrive. And once again Duo was surprised at how flexible the unibanged one was. He'd managed to et his hands in front of him and was currently tending to the smaller blonds leg wound. There danced around each other so much it was almost funny… if one didn't already know the steps.

The soft click of a lock opening and the metal door slid open as four pairs of eyes darted over to watch it, each wondering what luck had in store for them now. Pilot was tossed in without ceremony like a sack of rotten refuse by a faceless heavy-handed guard. The braided one couldn't help it really he couldn't as a chirpy voiced that he realized was his own.

"HI HEE-CHAN!" jumped from his vocal cords. The Irken did manage to stop the snicker that threatened when Prussian blue eyes death glared him. Wufei rolled his eyes, Trowa nodded a greeting, and Quatre hid a small smile with his hand.

The perfect soldier rolled into a sitting position and gave his own bonds a test. A sidelong glare answered by a smirk and a nod. His best subject in Irken School had always been escaping.

Wufei leaned forward and said a breath above a whisper "Did you find anything or was this mission a total failure?"

Duo broke in, not speaking any louder "Want my vote?" he ignored the two pilots glares

"I found nothing conclusive, though most of the resources coming in seemed to be aimed at some ship of unknowing origin that they uncovered. I was discovered before I could learn more."

Duo nodded silently with the rest even though his min was racing, his antenna blissfully hidden by his hair, twitched with his inner turmoil. Could Oz of gotten their hands on this Voot? No, it was impossible. All of his Irken Technology was sealed away, including his beloved Voot Cruiser. Only another Irken could open it and he was the only one on earth at that moment he was quite sure.

Another sound at the door. Five pairs of eyes this time switch their attention to he gateway to the metal box of a cell. The sounds of raised voices greeted their ears. The words themselves where lost but the tones still where clear. Heero growled softly, knowing that if they could understand what was being said it might help them escape. After a few moments Duo the argument was coming to an end. The lesser of two voices had reached what he took to be the 'but but but' stage. Silence for a moment and then the door slid open once more.

One of the door guards was shaking his head in defeat and stepped aside to allow an older man wearing a very rumple Oz uniform to enter. He was tall and looked to be somewhere around sixty earth years in age. Thick short black hair curled in various angels and a thicker mustache growing like a unchecked weed both sprinkled liberally with gray gave the man an all around rumpled and kindly look. His eyes however gave away his true nature, for even though he was smiling it never once came close to his eyes which where dark, calculating, and utterly cold. Duo shivered invisibly as he met those eyes, they reminded him of far to many nightmares of being strapped to an autopsy table.

"So these are the infamous Gundam pilots? And here I was expecting someone older, heh I bet you get that comment a lot. Your actions however prove that your piloting skills are unmatched so I guess I can't complain can I?"

That voice sent shivers up Irken and humans spines. How could a human manage to sound so friendly yet hostile at the same time? The man continued on not caring at all about the four glares and one death glare aimed at him. "My name is Dr. Marlen and while you are here you will be working and living for me." Again that smile, Oh they where so getting out of this place first chance they got "And against the council of my men" those empty eyes slid to the guard who shivered violently "I'm putting you to work right away. Can't risk you escaping before I've gotten a good days work out of you after all! That would be such a waist of your talents don't you agree? Come along no children!" Without a pause for comment or backwards glance he left the cell and a flood of soldiers entered, pushing the five boys to their feet a prodding them to follow in the Doctor's steps with the muzzles of their riffles.

02 and 03 shared a look and where about to show these soldiers just why they where considered so dangerous. After all even bound they where more then a match for a few pushy Oz men. 01 caught their look and shook his head firmly as he allowed himself to be directed from he cell. Duo rolled his eyes, always the friggen mission with Heero. He wanted to know wanted to know what this creepy Dr Marlen was up to so he could report it to the squid bait J like a good little soldier. As the Irken followed he nearly shook his head sadly, living for the mission alone wasn't living. Who better then he would know?

The trip through the winding corridors of the earth research base was short and lacked anything note worthy. Their eyes which never still noted every screw and panel but no way out. Finally the five boys and their escort of grim eyed soldiers entered what must have been the lab. Bight lights sparkled and reflected off of mounds of mechanical wonders. From Mobil suite parts to house appliances made up those piles adding the scent of oil and metal to the air. All in all it made Duo's fingers twitch with the want to tinker with it all. So it wasn't the rooms fault that his squiddly spooch had leapt into his throat while his stomach dropped and became infested with variously flying earth insects, but was being prominently displayed in the center of such a glorious mess.

It was Irken.


	6. The Ship Yus I still live

It was Irken. He knew that the moment his eyes fell upon it, he knew it so much it was practically a part of him. It was a ship, or had been, larger then his Voot and more streamlined in design. And it was old, older then anything he'd ever seen or flown in the training schools. The ancient metal was coved in dings and full of dents, the paint nearly completely lost to time, the bright red and purple paint nearly splotches here and there.

As the guards made them stand in a line before the ship, Zim took the time to examine it better, trying to unlock its secrets with his gaze alone. His mind was spinning in a whirl of confusion where one phrase ran wild over and over again: How did it get here?

Dr. Marlen started speaking.

"Isn't it beautiful? It was dug up a few years ago near some extinct volcano. All attempts to discover how old it is have failed."

Far to large for the Voot class, though it was an Invader ship for sure, no other Armada ship goes off alone. Back before the portable bases, when Invaders had to do everything from their ships. How did it get HERE?

"Sadly so have all attempts to fly it. Though we do know it should. We've managed power it up so we know it works" that smile appeared on his face again "Of course that's where you five come in."

Is that orange paint? Yes it is, mixed in with the purple. So this is from Former Tallest Orange's time. All Irken ships where painted in honor of the Tallest that ruled when they where made. It must have been near the end of his reign because it obviously had gene locks or else these human scientists would have been flying it by now. Hm, that would make this ship flying actively about right before my Tallest Red and Purple took over.

"Surely one of you will be ale to unlock its secrets?"

If he knew Oz they would put Heero at the helm first, which was lucky for him. He would have to play it very carefully from this point on, as he would be unable to touch anything within the ship as it would respond to him. If it were able it would even fly for him. That could not be allowed to happen. Duo had no wish to be found out.

Dr. Marlen moved three lanky paces and stood in the open hatch way. "It took weeks to get the ship to open its doors for us another three months to get it o power up. Its still not perfect though add often shuts itself down after different ranges of time. We've cataloged strange markings inside, and my people are using that info to try and identify it. This is obviously a test ship from some primitive military group from a time before the colonies."

Must… not… roll… eyes… Even with the proof before their eyes humans still refused to see. No wonder Dib was so frustrated with his people.

The good Doctor vanished into the ship and a few pokes later the five boys where following. Duo placed himself last in the line and while the others looked all over the ship in wonder, his gaze looked on the splotchy remains of the Irken symbol a mark he used to hold such love and honor.

The ship's inside had been striped either by time or by Oz of anything that would identify who its pilot was or their mission. He did know that the pilot was not on earth his computer, as glitchy as it had been, had scanned the planet for Irken life when he arrived, an this museum peace had obviously been here far longer then he. His fast moving eyes noted that there was little to no damage inside. Depending upon how the engines looked this pile of rusted alien metal might actually be space worthy.

The guards where following close behind them, making sure they didn't try anything like making an escape bid. Heero and Wufei where walking side by side at the head, eyes sharp for any escape roots, Trowa and Quatre followed the blond limping slightly hunting for anything resembling a weapon. Duo of course was last doing his utmost not to touch anything while enjoying being surrounded by so many memories of home.

Dr Marlen was waiting for them in the cockpit. There was two white-coated scientist with him, a man and a woman. The dark eyed man smiled that evil smile again. "Unlock 01, he'll get the first try."

Oz was so predictable, Duo thought as he stood off to the side beside Wufei while Trowa and Quatre where across from them. One guard stepped forward and undid Heero's cuffs.

"Now don't go thinking about escaping, one step out of line and they started shooting your friends. Just sit there." He nodded to the crescent shaped pilots chair. Heero rubbed his wrists, buying himself sometime, examining the situation. Walking over in his ridiculous yellow sneakers he sat carefully, eyeing the strange chair warily.

Dr. Marlen nodded to the female tech that was sitting in a very new and very human chair a lab top on her lab. A mess of cables spilled out of the back of the little computer an invested the damaged ship in various areas where panes had been ripped away. With a few soft keystrokes a groaning started deep within the ship, the sound of bones grinding and gears screaming. Duo gritted his teeth and tried not to wince at the sound of an Irken ship being forced to start up.

Slowly lights started to flicker on, glowing dimly, and the main panel barely showed any life at all.

"Isn't it lovely?" the doctor asked

Duo blinked slightly as his antenna shivered at a ghostly touch as the ship's scanners activated.

"Sir!" the woman suddenly snapped, her eyes glued to the screen.

"What?" Was the snarl of irritation and the hidden Irken held his breath.

"The ship…" The lights suddenly blazed with life, the main control panel blazed to life, waiting for the touch of the Irken it knew was there. The braided pilot really wanted to groan and slap his for head. He really should of realized the ship would know he was there. All older ships had a minor computer brain, and most likely it was lonely for Irken company.

"What's different? Run the scans immediately, we've never got so much power before! Is it steady?" Dr. Marlen was almost in ecstasies. The male scientist answered him.

"The power levels steady and holding firm, we've never recorded a reaction like this. Scans are running now sir"

"Sire there is a difference" the female's voice was unruffled "He's sitting at the helm" All eyes turned to Heero, and Duo allowed himself to breath, glad they where only human and that they where focused on 01.

"Go on boy, touch the panel. Make her fly."

Heero eyed the panel before him, the unknown language, pictures, and symbols. Duo watched on just as curious at the others though he had a good idea of the outcome. Reaching out Heero lightly rested his hands on the panel roaming them over the various lit buttons. Nothing happened, the ship hummed with power expectantly, but it didn't so much as flicker under Heero's attention.

"DAMNIT" Dr Marlen practically roared, "After this STILL nothing! Not even these five can do ANYTHING!" He swung his arm out expressing his anger in the small space. Wufei had to back up quickly to avoid being hit, bumping into Duo who in turn bumped into the panel behind him. Beneath his hands the panel warmed.

"This is impossible! What will it take to get this thing to fly?"

"Sir, maybe if we gave it sometime," the male Scientist pleaded, all attention on the ranting Doctor.

A fact that was very lucky for Duo, as he felt the panel warmed welcomingly under his touch as it came to life. Cussing softly he looked over his shoulder, he activated an archive screen, nothing major, as long as it wasn't noticed. With his arms still behind him Zim carefully pressed three buttons and with a sound similar to a moody sigh the panel deactivated and became dark once more.

"If we gave them more time? Let them study it a bit?"

Dr. Marlen paused in his fuming, a smile slowly crossing his face. "What a good idea. In fact," his eyes slowly roved over the five boys "This will be your new cell, none of you will have a bite to eat or a sip to drink until you have managed to get this ship to do anything?" He spun facing the soldiers "Out! Everyone out! Let them get settled in their new home. Post seven squads around the ship, if one so much as pokes a hand out of the hatch shoot him!"

"But- Sir" started one guard

"NOW!"

"Sir-yes-sir!" The guards and two scientists made their way from the ship being herded like sheep by Dr. Marlen.

"We'll see how quickly we unlock this ship's secrets while using thirst and starvation as keys!"

None of the pilots said anything nor moved and Duo counted to One hundred in his mind. THUNK!! Duo shook his now free hands "Phew, thought they'd never leave, c'mon Wu your next."

"Damnit Maxwell, don't call me that!" But the irritated pilot turned so the braided escape artist could get to work. A minuet latter another pair of cuffs was introduced to the floor. Humming softly he got to work on Quatre's.

Wufei placed his hand over the blood stained sleeve.

"Did your wound start bleeding again 05?" Prussian blue eyes never missed anything. THUNK

"Nothing critical Yuy, just fucking annoying."

Duo clucked his tongue from his position of working on Trowa's bonds "Tsk tsk Wu-Bear language!" THUNK

"MAXWELL!!"

Trowa chuckled softly before looking to Heero "What now 01? We are weaponless and surrounded." He is voice, as always, was calm.

"We have what we needed for the mission, 02 do you think you could sneak out of here?"

Duo tilted his head in the thought "No I can't if it was patrols of guards maybe." He looked out of the tinted ports "But they have this ship completely surrounded by three full circles. The lights are to bright for any useful shadows. Sorry Heero but I think its fight our way out or wait for our situation to change."

The cobalt-eyed pilot nodded "Understood"

Wufei eyed the odd crescent shaped chair and lit panel. Curiously poking at the consol, as expected nothing happened. "It would be too simple to ask to fly out of here. This ship, if it really is one, its useless."

Trowa nodded while Heero hned his agreement but Quatre spoke up. "That's not true! Duo can pilot it!"

Violet eyes almost bulged from his head as three pairs of eyes looked at Quatre and then to him. "Me?! What makes you think I'd have any better luck?"

Quatre put his hands on his hips and glared at Duo. "Don't play stupid Duo, I was watching you as you where over careful not to touch anything in this ship, you still are." Duo winced slightly at his place in the middle of the ship, a safe distance from any surface. "Also I saw what happened when Wufei bumped into you!" If the braided pilot could fall through the floor, Heero broke in.

"What happened?"

"As soon as Duo touched it the panel lit up. And he turned it off! Purposely! Duo you looked behind you and touched the screen far to the surely to be a guess and turned it off!"

This brought the sharp gazes back to him, though more calculating. Duo put his hands up defensively "Quat… I don't kno-" The blond interrupted by snagging his wrist and hauling him over to the main panel. By Irk he was strong! Firmly he slammed the braided boys hand down. The panel reacted, the pictures flashing, the writing rolled by.

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR The ships engine revved with joy and the whole thing jerked as the panel shifted reacting to the Irken's touch.

Duo slapped his free hand against his forehead "FUCK!"

"SEE!" Quatre beamed at the three shocked pilots who where picking themselves off of the ground. The blond released Duo's hand resulting in the braided boy to flop back onto the curved chair, placing one hand over his eyes. Trowa noted that his braided friend sat in the odd chair quite comfortably.

Duo put his hands up in the classic surrender pose "Honest I don't know why it responds to my touch. I have no clue what the writing says or how to fly this thing."

Heero glared death at Duo but before one word could be spoken from anyone urgent sounds from out side the ship managing to penetrate through the shock.

"Did you see that?"

"I can't believe that hunk of junk actually moved!!"

"Fetch those scientists and Dr Marlen at once. Secure those pilots for questioning."

Quatre and Wufei shared a glance then raced towards the hatch taking a secure place on one side, peering out.

"They are rushing the ship" the blond reported

"Far to many to fight" added Wufei

Heero joined the pair, needed to see how bad I was going to be and their options "Kuso"

Trowa walked over to Duo and leaned against the tall backed chair. The braided ones hand left his eyes and he propped his chin on the back of it. He shot the unibanged boy a cold glance, ignoring the sounds of the other pilots and their seeming impeding doom as the first soldiers started coming up the metal ramp. The other three boys prepared themselves for a pretty much one sided battle. The green eye boy calmly tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. For a moment violet eyes stared coolly back before he let out a defeated sigh.

Zim reached out with his free hand and touched the picture of he ship right about where he hatch was. The picture zoomed into that point and the buttons beside it changed. The Irken pressed the blue button. This had an immediate response as the hatch slammed shut without so much as a hiss. It was almost comical as they heard the thumps that came from fast moving bodies running into he door.

Trowa smiled as Duo sat back. "Thank you Duo. Can you fly this thing out of here?"

Zim hated to be cornered into things but he had no choice, this ship was their only means of escape and he was the only one who could pilot it. Silently he began to run his fingers over the main panel watching it shift and change at his command almost gleefully as the other pilots joined them.

"I'm telling the ship to run a diagnostic on itself, seeing if it an fly. Quat, Trowa, past the hallway is a storage space. I've unlocked the door see if there is anything you lot could use to tie yourselves down with during a rough flight or any possible weapons just in case. Wu-Wu, Heero I need you to go to the engine room, the red door near the storage room. Make sure Oz didn't leave us any presents. Rip out anything of theirs you find."

The four human pilots and raced off to do as bid. Beneath their heavy prison of hair his antenna twitched, he was alone. For only a moment, true, but it would be all he needed. Wincing with pain he reached into his pack and pulled out a thick wire. Opening a metal hatch beneath the console he pulled out a matching cable and united them. A fine shower of tremors danced along his flesh as information flew through the union, both ways.   
Quickly Zim updated the old ships language banks, star charts, current Irken events, and other various items. The ship gave back a full diagnostic, what Oz had done to it, and a list of everything within its walls up to and including one Irken pilot, four humans, and… a deactivated SIR. Shaky hands pulled the cables a part and returned them to their original places. He collapsed against the chair bonelessly, still trembling. By Irk and Earth he HATED doing that but it was the quickest and easiest way to get it done.

"Duo are you alright?" The blond's tone was filled to the brim with concern as he dashed over to his unnaturally pale friend.

"I will be in a bit, don't you worry." He more sensed the others return then heard. "He'll fly, he won't fly pretty, but he'll fly. Can't make it to space, he's as leaky as a sieve. Our main problem at the moment is that Oz has docking bands on him, he can't move with them on." He looked at Heero "Think you could help with that Hee-chan?"

Heero snagged the laptop that had been left behind; Duo had ripped out all of the cords, and started it back up. "I'll work on that."

"We found only two other chairs but I have no idea how we'd set them up." Trowa reported

"We tore out a few things of Oz out of the engine room." Wufei shook his head in wonderment "I've never seen anything even remotely similar to the equipment in there. Its incredible"

Duo smiled smugly "Of course its incredible and there will be no problem with installing the chairs. If you can bring them in here?" Trowa nodded and shot the scowling Wufei and Quatre a look, then the three boys where off.

The braided Irken started flicking through the panels again seeing how much speed he could get and where they should go. "Any luck Hee-chan?"

"I'm disabling their security devices now."

The braided boy nodded as the first curved chair was brought in. "Put it right there next to that panel" he nodded to the right. With a muffled thump it hit he ground.

"So now what Duo? How do we secure it?" Quatre asked curiously

Confident fingers tapped something and with a wiz click the chair latched itself down. "There we go. Can you guys get the other one please?"

Shortly the other chair was clamped into place. Duo looked over at Heero who was still typing away. "Well? Are we free yet? It won't be much longer and they'll try cutting open the hatch instead of just banging on it."

"Hn." The cobalt-eyed pilot replied not looking away from his task.

The braided pilot shook his head with a long tortured sigh "Why am I not surprised by that response?" Quatre chuckled softly behind Duo "Alright since we only have three chairs two of you will have to double up. I'm going to need full mobility so sadly I can't take a passenger." He turned away from them so they wouldn't see him smile as a childish chant of "I get my own chair nah nah" echoed through his head on repeat. Without looking he knew who was sitting with whom.

A delicate antenna twitched beneath the mass of brunette hair as Trowa settled himself behind Quatre, Wufei grumbled darkly as Heero settled before him laptop in tow. He decided it would be wise not to comment as the humans tried to become settle on the crescent shaped chairs.

The control panel suddenly flashed red beneath his hand and Irken symbols began to scroll began to scroll along in warning. Standing with a frown clinging to his face he walked over to the hatch. Tapping it purposely he used his first and second finger to draw a circle at eye level. With a soft hum a one-way window formed. Duo's eyes widened at the view before him. He sprinted back to the other pilots as the little window close behind him.

Flinging himself into the pilots seat he started powering up ancient engines. "Heero! We need those things release five minuets ago! They're bringing in a hatch popper!" a single button push, a roar of engines, a second button and safety belts secured himself and the other pilots.

"Hn-"

"Uh uh, don't you hn me. The shield generator is shot and I'd rather use our power on engines an stabilizers not THE WEAPON SYSTEMS!" A tilt of his head an he was glaring at the other pilot "This is our one chance for escape and since you lot decided to let Oz know that I can use this thing I'd rather not be recaptured."

Heero nodded his fingers flying across the keyboard. Duo's own where flying with the ease of someone who'd done this his entire life, and he was being watched closely. Trowa's sharp green eyes watching those agile hands doing what theirs could not…. And observed something odd. The braided boy was only using his thumb and first three fingers. The pinky was just hanging there and pilot 03 would swear that at times it passed THROUGH the screen with a slight fizzle.

There was a loud metallic thump at the hatch and the ship's alarm screeched louder.

"Shit" Duo cussed and hoped Heero had gotten the ship loose as he ordered the ship to move. The Irken vessel leapt forward only to be jerked back a moment later, the docking latches still held them captive. "Now or never Heero!"

The human fingers kept flying then "Done"

"Finally!" With a please roar the ship shot straight up, hovering just inches below the ceiling. Sound from the engines stopped but the human pilots knew they where still working. Vibrations through the floor and the fact they weren't falling where good signs. "Thank you Hee-chan, now how do we get out of here?"

Wufei looked out the window closest window "Looks like there is an opening over-" with a soft groan the ship suddenly tilted to the left "MAXWELL!"

"Don't look at me like that! I told you the stabilizers are shot, I'm compensating the best I can!" PTWANG Duo flinched as a bullet ricocheted off the hull and hundreds of others following it. "Sorry guys no time for subtly." The old ship leapt forward again heading for the door Wufei had pointed out.

"Duo! Its not big enough to fit this ship!" Quatre yelped in sudden alarm. The braided pilot gave no sign of hearing and the ship kept its course.

"Ramming this ship is illogical."

"Heero is right Duo, it will fall apart." The green-eyed boy evenly added.

"Who ever said I was going to ram it?" ignoring the disbelieving looks aimed at his back he started to hum softly as he selected from the weapons menu. With a disinterested burr noise a tiny laser lowered from the nose of the ship, a line of deadly blue shot out to slice a huge circle in the door and wall alike as if it was butter. Like a bird through an open window the old Irken vessels soared to freedom "And you said it wasn't big enough" Duo snickered

"I was mistaken…" Quatre said softly

"They are going to follow us." Heero cautioned

"They can try." The ship angled upward nose to the sky, to space. The Irken vessel bucked slightly as it climbed past the clouds to the point where stars and the inky void they inhabited could be seen. Next thing any of them new the cabin was filled with flashing red lights and shrieking sirens.

"What's Wrong?" Heero's ever-uninterested voice a rock in the rapids of sounds.

"We can't make it into space, its seals have disintegrated to much. Grrrrr I was afraid of this." The strange little vessel dove with surprising speed, cutting right through pursuing Aeris suits. Every little touch of the irken's fingers caused a response in the ship, which seemed almost gleeful, as graceful as any bird it weaved through the primitive mobile suits. The four human pilots had never seen a ship with such reaction speed or agility. "There, I think we lost them. Still I'm going to land this baby a distance from the safe house. Hope no one minds the walk." Three grunts and a quiet no from Quatre told him a lot more then just their opinion on walking. Hooooooo boy was he in for a talking too.

"Duo what if they put tracking devices on this thing?" the unibanged pilot asked quietly

"They did, three of them. Don't worry about it I took care of them already.

"How? We didn't see you do anything?"

"I fry your and Heero's little toys every time, why would Oz's be any different?" The humming pitch of the ship's engines changed suddenly as the craft slowed and then lowered into a lopsided landing. "There we're down." The hatch lowered at the same moment he felt a hand snag the end of his braid, pulling his head backward. The braided Irken eyed the Perfect Soldier from this new upside down angel, his back pressing harder into the crescent shaped chair.

"You have many questions to answer."

Duo sighed and closed those brilliant violet eyes of his. "I know, and I will." Heero nodded "First I to send this ship else where. You guys run ahead I'll catch up." He didn't flinch under Heero's death glare "Relax Heero, its not like I'm going to leave DeathScythe here." Another curt nod from the Perfect Soldier before the four humans departed, leaving the Irken to his thoughts.

Waiting patiently he counted to fifty silently, then the ship beeped softly telling him in its own way that the other pilots where making their way towards the safe house. With a single graceful movement he left the chair and stretched.

"Alright where is that SIR unit?"


	7. Questions and Answers

Duo tilted his head back, one hand protecting his eyes from the bright sunlight as he watched the ancient Irken vessel take off. He had given the SIR unit, ZAR, explicit instructions on how to get to his base. It was ruined and good portions where decaying, need the touch of more then one human hexed Irken to return it to its glory, so ZAR was more then welcome to scavenge what he to repair his ship. Though he had made it quite plain that his Voot was to be left untouched. It was the only thing that was truly his and definitely NOT junk. He felt a slight nudge in his squiddly spooch, oh how he would of loved to work on that ancient craft, but alas that was not to be. Pretending to be Irken again hurt far worse then just living with the knowledge that he was hated horribly by his entire race. Anyway the little SIR needed to find its master again if the Invader was still alive.

The ship was out of sight now, and Zim turned his attention to what he could see of the safe house. Briefly he toyed with the idea of sneaking off to DeathScythe and escaping the questions of his comrades… He twiddled with the end of his braid NAH! They would just hunt him down and ask the questions anyway, after beating his brains out first of course. He started to make his way to his doom, weaving agile through roots, under brush, and plants bearing waaaaaaaay to many thorns to be healthy. For plant or Irken.

He was closer now and could see Heero waiting for him on the porch Deathscythe was pretty close… no, these four humans where to well trained for their own good sometimes. Besides a good Inva- Zim wavered briefly, a good soldier never left the fight before it was over.

Duo pranced up the steps and shot Heero the largest and silliest grin his arsenal. Anyway it might be amusing to hear their excuses for what happened, after all no human currently living could guess his secret, right?

"Don't worry Hee-chan the ship is going to lead Oz on a merry chase before vanishing. We're safe for now."

"Hn." And a jerk a Perfect Soldier's chin Duo sighed gustily and bounced into the house, never a home, looking for the place that would be his inquisition. "Geez, don't know why I bother talking to you sometimes man, I swear talking to a robot would be more interesting!" Talking to GIR had been interesting if completely maddening.

"We're in the kitchen Duo!"

Ah yes making the blond peacekeeper to lead me to my doom. Heero was walking behind him cutting off any hope of him trying to run for it. Duo entered the kitchen with his normal bounce and grace, violet eyes locking on his comrades. The three where sitting at the country style round table. Quatre gestured for him to take a seat, which he flopped bonelessly into; Trowa was helping Wufei with his wounds. He saw Heero take the seat between him and Wufei out of the corner of his eye.

"Phew, that was a narrow escape for a mission!" he chirped deciding that it would be best to get it over with.

"About that Duo, how did you know how to fly that ship? It didn't even respond to Heero's touch." The hidden Irken had to hold down a snort as he listened to Quatre, it was allll about Heero "I didn't even recognize the style of writing! Did any of you?"

"Three silent pilots shook their heads, then wonders of wonders the cobalt eyed boy spoke more then one syllable "I memorized a couple of symbols and I am currently trying to find anything on them. However the only hit so far is for an outdated alien conspiracy site."

Dib's website was still up? Wow he would of thought it would have been deleted by now. The others where looking at him now so it was time to face the doomy music.. sorta.

The braided "boy" put on his biggest grin. "I learned those symbols when I was young," he shrugged "As for the ship flying for me, heh maybe it liked me?" avoiding the truth was so much fun.

"Liked you?" Wufei blinked "I doubt that was the reason."

"Who taught you? What was it used for?" Heero's stare could scare rocks Duo thought to himself.

"I have a question." Trowa's voice brought all eyes to him "Duo could you undo your braid?"

"Huh?"

"Could you please undo your braid?"

"Er?" What did his hair have to do with anything? Shifting slightly as all eyes turned to him. Zim knew that refusal would lead to more uncomfortable questions. "Ooookay, but I have no idea why you're asking me to do this." With a practiced motion he pulled off the hair tie and shook the braid out till his hair hung loose. "So what's the question that needs my hair loose?"

The coffee pot behind them started to bubble over.

"Excuse me." Trowa stood and went to tend to it.

"Are you going to answer my questions Duo?"

The braided alien turned towards Heero "S-"

**CLASH!!** Two pot lids banged together right behind the violet boys head.

"AH!" Zim was out of his chair glaring death at Trowa's calm features as he put the metal lids on the counter "HOW DA-"

"My question Duo, is what are those?" he pointed to the top of Duo's head. Without the restraining weight of the braid his antenna had stood straight up and in clear view quivering with his anger. The alien blinked, the antenna lowered and twitched "I would also like to know why your smallest finger passes through solid objects."

Zim's antenna snapped close to his head and he hunched his shoulders slightly. Ignoring the three pairs of wide eyed stares he sat back down in his chair, took a deep soothing breath… and started to slam his head against the table surface.

BAM… BAM… BAM…

Quatre blinked again shaking the shock of seeing his best friend with a real pair of antenna on his head. What really brought him out of it was the tumble of emotions Duo was feeling. Reaching out the empathic blond put a friendly hand on Duo's shoulders. "Duo its okay" BAM "I'm sure none of us mind you being some kind of um…" BAM "Mutant?"

Zim paused his head banging, his now aching head resting on the cool wooden surface of the table. His shoulders began to shake.

"Duo?" a golden voice filled with concern.

"Ahahahahahahahahaha!!!" he threw his head back with a cruel cackle "A-a mutant?!?! Ahahahahaha!"

Wufei blinked feeling something cold run up his spine at the sound and a memory of glowing ruby red eyes flashing in a darkened hallway. Heero and Trowa traded a confused look over Zim's head as he cackled away. Eventually his energetic cackling faded to a mean occasional chuckle. The Perfect Soldier watched Duo carefully as he dashed tears of mirth from his eyes. The antenna on his head seemed to be in a resting position at 45-degree angle.

"I am guessing it is not a mutation then." Heero said slowly

Wufei's dark eyes narrowed slightly "Duo do you wear contact lenses?"

"Heh… sometimes… hehehe" The alien boy smiled.

The Shenlong Pilot nodded "Your eyes are really red aren't they? And appear similar to an insects eyes."

The three boys looked at Duo as the boy sighed, and shrugged in a what do I have to loose gesture. "Mhm similar but not exa-" A thin antenna twitched and he turned his head towards the door frowning. "Do you hear that?"

Quatre blinked "Hear what?"

Trowa and Heero grasped their handguns with out even thinking about it. Instinct was far stronger then their current mystery.

"eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!"

"Tha-ooph!!" The human pilots had no time to react as the tiny kitchen door smashed open and a small green blur, moving faster then the human eye could follow, flew in and knocking Zim out of his chair across several feet ending, and ending up against the wall. Four hand guns trained on it but none fired at the ridiculously and oddly unbearably cute green dog that was currently trying to squeeze the life out of their braided friend.

"MASTER!! I found you! Mr. Pig didn't think I would but I did and you need a hug! Why do you look furry now Master? Are these new friends? I like new friends but they don't taste as good as waffles or tacos! TACOS!!!"

"Uh… Friend of yours Maxwell?"

Duo pride the little dog off his chest with major difficulty, holding it infront of him looking at the vapid smile with wide disbelieving eyes "GIR?!" he shook the little robot "But? How?"

Quatre rubbed an ear lowering his gun slightly this GIR was no threat, though how Duo made it into those octave ranges the blond would never know.

"The Big Headed Boy woke me from my nap and I couldn't find you!" he sniffled for a moment "I was ALONE!! Except for Mr Pig and Mini Moose, but then Big Headed Boy said I should look for you in my head." A huge vapid grin took up most of his face "First he let me play in a fun place with soft walls and funny humans. There was yelling and fire and jello… JELLO!! And then I found you!"

Duo blinked not sure which shocked him more, GIR being here and functional, GIR giving him an answer that made sorta sense, or mention the "Big Headed Boy" twice. After all GIR had called only one human worm baby by that particular name and he was long dead.

Heero took two steps forward glaring at the green dog who was giggling and squirming cutely in the violet eyed boys grip.

"ZIM!!" A shadow blocked the now ruined open door a voice filled with a mix of exhaustion, relief, and raw desperation.

GIR looked at the door. "HI Mr Big Headed Boy! I found Master!"


End file.
